Ash's Squirtle
| caption=Ash's Squirtle | location= | epnum=EP012| epname=Here Comes the Squirtle Squad| prevonum=007| current=With the Squirtle Squad| enva1=Eric Stuart (EP012-AG190) Michele Knotz (BW116)| java1=Rikako Aikawa| }} Ash's Squirtle (Japanese: サトシのゼニガメ Satoshi's Zenigame) was the fifth that in the Kanto region, and his sixth overall. In the anime History Original series Kanto Squirtle first appeared in Here Comes the Squirtle Squad, being the leader of a gang known as the Squirtle Squad, a group of rogue Squirtle who were deserted by their s. managed to befriend the Squirtle Squad by convincing them that Jessie and James were his pets. The Squirtle Squad then captured , and so they could take back to Meowth. Ash managed to convince the Squirtle Squad to let him free to get a Super Potion for Pikachu, who was badly injured after an earlier encounter with a . The Squirtle Squad agreed to let Ash go to town to buy a Super Potion, but if he didn't return by noon the next day, they threatened to dye Misty's hair purple (in the original, they threatened to kill her). When Ash got back with the Super Potion, Team Rocket began bombing the Squirtle Squad after they received Pikachu. Ash, Misty, and Brock ran to hide in the Squirtle Squad's cave; however, when Ash noticed that the leader was stuck on its shell, he went back to save it, shielding Squirtle's body with his own. Dazed and with more bombs en route, Ash told Squirtle to save itself. So touched by Ash's loyalty, Squirtle burst into tears, summoned enormous strength, and carried Ash to the safety of the cave. Squirtle then defeated Team Rocket with Water Gun. However, Team Rocket's bombs had started a forest fire, which the Squirtle Squad worked together to put out. After putting out the fire Officer Jenny appointed the Squirtle Squad as the official firefighters of the town. The leader of the Squirtle Squad preferred to join Ash on his journey rather than fight fires alongside his group, as it wanted to repay Ash for saving his life during the bombing. After being accepted, it happily ran into Ash's arms, as the Trainer declared he had caught a Squirtle. During its time with Ash, Squirtle became one of Ash's three most trustworthy Pokémon, next to Pikachu and , and it was used often. Squirtle's type and ability to swim helped Ash in a few choice circumstances, notably the escape from St. Anne in Pokémon Shipwreck. It served as Pikachu's 'steed' when the group competed in a race in Ash's place (Ash having taken Lara Laramie's place on ). The two were at a significant disadvantage due to Squirtle's short legs and Pikachu's comparative weight, but in a way this helped as they managed to escape the ing. They made ground when they reached the water stage, putting them in the top four with Ash, Misty, and Dario. However, intervention from forced a battle, and the two were put out of the running by a attack from . In Attack of the Prehistoric Pokémon, Squirtle desperately tried to stop a fuse from detonating explosives but failed. This resulted in Ash, Pikachu, and Team Rocket being trapped underground with hostile Prehistoric Pokémon. Only Squirtle was rescued from the rubble by Misty and Brock. It then did its best to rescue its Trainer. In The March of the Exeggutor Squad, it was used in an attempt to con Melvin into believing Ash was able to magically control water and fire with the use of a box that inside contained Squirtle, Bulbasaur, and , but the three Pokémon began to fight and ruined the trick. In Beach Blank-Out Blastoise, Squirtle was instrumental in helping rescue a colony of Squirtle, and a from . Squirtle's Gym Battle debut came late and its Kanto Gym record was two losses, the first to Blaine's in Riddle Me This, who Ash believed would be disadvantaged against Squirtle. Ninetales' completely overpowered Water Gun and took Squirtle down in one hit. It was then sent out to fight the fire in Volcanic Panic to cool off , Geodude and Pikachu with water as they dammed the volcano. The second loss was against 's , under control of Jessie in The Battle of the Badge. Squirtle took damage from 's , but the battle was ended when Giovanni's Pokémon defected and Team Rocket was sent blasting off. Ash relied on Squirtle to battle Mandi in Round One - Begin!, but his powerful took the sweep and Squirtle was unnecessary. However, it won Ash's second round by using to defeat a in Fire and Ice after it revealed its ability to use Withdraw to absorb the Nidorino's Tackle. In Friend and Foe Alike, Squirtle was sent out to battle Ritchie's , Happy. However, it was easily put to sleep by and Ash lost the round. Orange Islands Squirtle was used more prominently in the Orange Island Gyms, first in competition against Cissy's in Fit to be Tide. Both Pokémon had to shoot cans with Water Gun, but when they hit the final can at the same time, the match resulted in a draw. Though it did not win, Ash still congratulated it on its admirable work. In Naval Maneuvers, it joined Pikachu, Bulbasaur, and Ash in steering the ice sled down the mountain, resulting in a win for Ash. One of Squirtle's most notable battles and its only Gym Battle win was in Misty Meets Her Match. Earlier in the episode, it helped Pikachu and Bulbasaur destroy the targets, before coming out third against Rudy's . Its powerful Water Gun managed to match Squirtle's, and Rudy's music allowed Starmie to dance away from Squirtle's moves and then use Thunderbolt to knock Squirtle into submission. With encouragement from Misty, Squirtle propelled itself away from Thunderbolt and while using Withdraw learns Hydro Pump to become airborne and hit Starmie hard. Closing the battle with Skull Bash, Ash wins the battle and his third Orange Island Gym Badge. In The Pokémon Water War!, Squirtle attempted to rescue a warehouse on fire, but when the fire spread, it needed rescuing itself by Captain Aidan and Team Wartortle. This shot Squirtle's confidence as a firefighter and Ash pleaded with Aidan to allow Squirtle to train with his team for a short period. However, they fell into a Team Rocket trap and were captured, but Squirtle's thinking allowed the group to escape: they flooded the cabin to allow mobility, and then tricked into cutting the nets, before blasting Team Rocket away. Squirtle then joins the effort at a burning apartment and halts the fire, saving the day. In Hello, Pummelo!, Squirtle was sent against 's Onix, who managed to evade Water Gun with and then caught Squirtle with . However, Squirtle broke free with a Withdraw/Hydro Pump combination, then hit Onix with Skull Bash to knock it out. In the next episode, it fought , only for its Hydro Pump to be countered by Dragonite's Water Gun. Squirtle was able to use Withdraw in time to evade most of the following but was still badly hurt. Squirtle used Bubble Beam to hit Dragonite dead-on, but this was the only successful attack and it was beaten by a slam from Dragonite's tail. Pikachu went on to defeat the exhausted Dragonite and Squirtle earned a place in the Orange Islands Hall of Fame. Johto Squirtle accompanied Ash to Johto as well, the final time it would serve as a permanent member of his team. In Don't Touch That 'dile, Squirtle was used against Team Rocket with Pikachu, Bulbasaur, and Charizard. Combining its Water Gun with their attacks, it fired directly on Team Rocket's Pokémon. In The Double Trouble Header, it was sent out to battle against Team Rocket along with Bulbasaur after they captured Pikachu and . During its time with him, it and Bulbasaur showed concern for him on occasions, such as when Ash, Pikachu, and his soon to be caught Chikorita were lost in a snowstorm in The Chikorita Rescue. In Once in a Blue Moon, a Quagsire stole the GS Ball and swam away. Ash tried to run after it but ended up sending out Squirtle to chase it down. After failing to wrestle it out of the Quagsire's mouth, Squirtle used Water Gun, causing the GS Ball it slips out of Quagsire's mouth, and allowing Pikachu to catch it on the shore. While both Quagsire and Squirtle were using Water Gun against each other, Misty tried once again to catch it, but before throwing the Poké Ball, Officer Jenny stopped them and arrested them for violating the Quagsire Preservation Restrictions. In The Fire-ing Squad!, it competed in an event called the Fire and Rescue Grand Prix, a firefighting competition for water Pokémon. As luck would have it, one of the teams was the Squirtle Squad, but they were confused without their leader. Ash's Squirtle led the Squirtle Squad to win the Grand Prix, and at the end of the episode Squirtle returned to the Squirtle Squad because Ash felt that the old gang needed Squirtle more than he did. It said goodbye to its friends and Bulbasaur extended a to its long-time friend, shaking solemnly. It returned briefly to battle in the Silver Conference after was badly injured by a group of renegade . It joined and against the Trainer Macy. It was Ash's last Pokémon, faced with an advantaged . However, Squirtle proved much faster and managed to hit Electabuzz with a series of Water Guns before it could launch any moves. A Skull Bash was enough to knock out Electabuzz and even up the match for Ash, leaving just left. Squirtle used an explosion of moves to cover a stealthy Water Gun, but was hit and knocked on its back by Quilava. As Macy went in for the knockout, Squirtle used Hydro Pump to hit Quilava with water and its own body, sealing the victory for Ash. Squirtle stayed around to watch Ash's Silver Conference battles, and then left in Johto Photo Finish! Hoenn While Squirtle made no appearances during the Hoenn arc of the , it did make an appearance, along with the rest of the Squirtle Squad, in Of Meowth and Pokémon (Part 2). Squirtle and two other members of the Squirtle Squad ambushed and attacked her with a Water Gun, sending her flying. Kanto Battle Frontier In Gathering the Gang of Four!, Squirtle returned to help Ash with his final battle against , meeting May's Squirtle in the process. It expressed happiness in seeing Pikachu and Bulbasaur again and departed with the two, Ash, and Charizard for the woods. Though tension between the group began to erupt, they settled their differences and sat as Ash recalled his meetings with the four of them. After Pikachu was captured by Team Rocket, Squirtle participated in saving his teammate. In Pace - The Final Frontier!, Squirtle battled Brandon's . Squirtle's successfully deflected , but Ninjask gained the upper hand by stalling Squirtle with Double Team and hitting with Aerial Ace. Squirtle managed to escape with Hydro Pump, but became blinded by , leaving it exposed to Ninjask's attacks. While the next Hydro Pump missed, the water was able to clear Squirtle's eyes. Squirtle then swiftly unleashed Skull Bash, knocking Ninjask out of the battle. Squirtle was then matched up against Brandon's . In this battle, all of Squirtle's moves were dodged or blocked by Solrock's Psychic moves. A missed Rapid Spin saw Squirtle crash into the wall, and it was flattened by , causing it to lose the battle. After Ash defeated Brandon, Squirtle returned to the Squirtle Squad. Squirtle appeared in a flashback in The Fires of a Red-Hot Reunion!, when Ash remembered the night he was stuck in a snowstorm and Squirtle, along with Charmander, Bulbasaur, Pidgeotto and Pikachu, helped keep Ash warm. Squirtle and some of its fellow Squirtle Squad members reappeared in Alola, Kanto!, being photographed by . Personality and characteristics Squirtle is one of Ash's most trustworthy Pokémon, but is by no means perfect. Compared especially with its closest friend, the very serious , it comes across as immature and mischievous, particularly during its time with the Squirtle Squad where it led the team to commit various pranks and so on, and how it embarrassed itself trying to intimidate a in Pikachu's Vacation. However, through its travels with Ash it matured considerably, and its behavior when it reunited with its Squad later on had a noticeable difference. Although very loyal to Ash after the latter saved its life, he was shown to be somewhat cynical at times. This was best demonstrated during the events of Pokémon Shipwreck, where, while searching for their trainers, Sqirtle briefly speculates that their trainers may have been eaten by the local wildlife. Mature or not, Squirtle is shown to be a born leader and prefers to wear sunglasses occasionally, donning them when investigating 's presence on the island in Beach Blank-Out Blastoise and when it competed against Team Wartortle to prove itself, its fire-fighting spirit hurt by its inability to put out the fire that Team Wartortle had extinguished. Moves used mod 3}}|0=Water Gun|1=Skull Bash|2=Tackle}}.png|Using mod 3}}|0=Water Gun|1=Skull Bash|2=Tackle}}|image2=Ash Squirtle mod 4}}|0=Withdraw|1=Hydro Pump|2=Bubble|3=Rapid Spin}}.png|caption2=Using mod 4}}|0=Withdraw|1=Hydro Pump|2=Bubble Beam|3=Rapid Spin}}}} * Ash told Squirtle to use in Enter The Dragonite. This was a dubbing error. In the original, it was commanded to use . In the games A Squirtle is given to the player in , Let's Go, Pikachu!, and Let's Go, Eevee! — games which contain several references to the of the anime — from an Officer Jenny in Vermilion City. In Yellow, the police officer will give the player Squirtle after defeating Lt. Surge. Its role in Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! is slightly expanded, where it is first seen harassing Jenny in Cerulean City. The player can receive the Squirtle in Vermilion if they have caught 60 or more individual Pokémon. In the manga In The Electric Tale of Pikachu manga Ash owns a Squirtle in the series The Electric Tale of Pikachu. It first appears in the chapter You Gotta Have Friends, though its capture is not shown, it is merely stated that "Ash has been busy since the last comic". Squirtle is first seen when a lonely Ash decides to play with his other Pokémon while Pikachu is off playing another group of Pikachu. Squirtle gets into a fight with while Ash is attacked by his other two Pokémon. Squirtle was used in the second round of the 88th Pokémon League tournament and helped win the second round. In the fifth round, Squirtle was used to battle Ritchie's . The two fought hard but the match ended in a tie when Happy was knocked out and Squirtle was put to sleep. In The Orange Islands, Squirtle was used to drive away a group of wild that were terrorizing a wild . Squirtle appeared again in You Bet Your Wife where Ash decided to use it in a dance competition in his Gym battle against Rudy. Squirtle simply retreated into its shell and rolled around to dance. Later, it was used to battle Rudy's in the third round of their three-on-three battle. Despite Starmie having powerful attacks and the ability to latch onto Squirtle tightly, Squirtle managed to turn the battle around by tossing Starmie off with Hydro Pump and finishing it off with Skull Bash, winning the match for Ash in the process. In Ash vs. Gary, Squirtle was used to send a Poké Ball flying towards a that Ash and Gary were competing to capture. Squirtle's Hydro Pump proved successful, allowing Ash to capture the Slowpoke first. Moves used mod 3}}|0=Skull Bash|1=Hydro Pump shoot|2=Hydro Pump spin}} EToP.png|Using mod 3}}|0=Skull Bash|1=Hydro Pump as a shooting attack|2=Hydro Pump as a spinning attack}}}} Trivia * Squirtle is the first Pokémon owned by Ash. * Ash originally wanted a Squirtle to be his starter Pokémon, but Professor Oak told him it was taken by a Trainer who was not late. * Squirtle is the only member of Ash's original team of six ( , , , , , and itself) that has neither evolved nor ever explicitly refused to evolve. * Squirtle is the first of Ash's Pokémon to have been placed in a Poké Ball off-screen, the other being . * Squirtle's gender was hinted at in the Japanese version of Island of the Giant Pokémon. In the subtitles, it refers to itself as おれ , which is a pronoun normally used by males, also used by characters such as , , and James in the Japanese version. * Squirtle is the only Pokémon owned by Ash to have used a move for the first time in a . * Squirtle is the only Pokémon that Ash has owned for longer than one series that has never been confirmed to have stayed at Professor Oak's Laboratory. Related articles * * Squirtle Squad Squirtle Category:Released Pokémon Squirtle Category:Red, Blue and Yellow characters Category:Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! characters de:Ashs Schiggy es:Squirtle de Ash fr:Carapuce de Sacha it:Squirtle di Ash ja:サトシのゼニガメ zh:小智的傑尼龜